Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-11-19

guilty Dy TEE Vefulct Oh Juy ahu ai'I""'ot
scat. nced To be hanged, Tor the murder OF
Matthias Degan. An appeal was taA d from
sucl footing and sentence TO the Gu
creme court OF the state. That court upon
fnal hearing, aud after mature deiitera tn.
unanimously ,firmed tue judgment Of the
court below. The case now comes 6 fore me
by tetition Of defendants for consideration AS
governor OF the state, II the letters OF Albert
Parsons, Adolph Fischer, George Engel and
Louis Lingg, demanding an unconditional
release" or, ss they express II, ''liberty or
DEATH" and protesting In the strongest Ian.
gusge ags!Dst mercy or COM
mutation OF the sentence pronounced
against them, can be considered N petition.
Pardon, could IT be granted which might I'm.
ply any guilt whatever upon the part OF either
of then, would not be such vindicsti N as
they demand. Executive intervention uSon
the grounds insieted upon by the four above
named persons could In no proper sense be
sn exercise OF the constitutional
power TO grant reprieves, combinations aud
psrdons, unless based upon the belief on my
Phtt Va LuCl CublIC " IA SiiaiO va
which they stand convicted. A careful con-
sideration OF the evidence In the record Of the
trial Of the parties, as well ss OF all alleged
and claimed for them outside OF the record,
has failed to produce upon my mind any i'm.
preston tending 10 impeach the verdict OF the
jury or the judgment OF the trial court or OF
the supreme court Affirming the guilt Of III
Of these parties. Satisfied, therefore, as /
am, of their guilt, l am precluded from con.
sidering the question OF communication OF the
sentences of Albert r. Parsons, Ado!phe
Fischer, George Engel and Louis Lingg to
imprisonment In the penitentiary, rs they
emphstically declare that hey will not ac-
cept such Communication. Samuel Fieldep,
Michael Schwab and August Spies unite In a
petition for executive clemencY." Fielden
and ecawab, In addition, present seperate and
supplementary petitions for committing OF
their sentences. While, RS said above, l am
satisfied OF the guilt of all the parties, rs
found by the verdict OF the jury, which was
sustained by the judgments Of the courts, a
a most careful consideration of the whole sub
iec: leads me to the conclusion that the SEN
tence OF the Law AZ TO Samuel Fi-lden and
M!coael schwab may be modified rs to each Of
them, ia the interest," OF humanity and wi h
out doing violence 10 public ] Istice. And De
to the said Samuel Fielder and Mic1ael
schwab the sentence is %conmuted to the i'm.
prlsonment In the Lenitentiary for life.
AS to all the other above nsmed defendants
I do not feel justified IN interfering with the
s ntence Of the court. Whiie 1 would gladly
have come to a different conclusion In regarI
to the sentence OF tie defendants Angus,
s plea, Adolph Fischer, George Eugel, Al eri
X. Parsons and Louis Lingg, l regret to say
that Under the solemn sense of the obligation,
Of my office l have been unable to do so.
(SiSneu) K j OGLEsBY, Governor.
ORDER r o TnE SHERIFF.
~spRINGFIELD, H., Nov. lU - ne following
is a CO y of the instrument o1l tally con-
muting The sentences of Fieiden aud Schas b
State Of Illinois, Executive Department
Richard j. Oglesby, governor of Illinois, te
the sheriff uf Cook county, greeting: Where
as, Samuel Fielden and Mlcnael Schwab wer,
convicted at the june term, 4. ID. 1885, Of thu
criminal court OF Cook county, OF the Grim,
OF murder, and were sentep ced therefor to b
hanged; and whereas, 1t has ben presentet
to me by divers good citizens VI sal1 count,
that said Samuel Fielden and M,chael S,aw al
are ft and proper subjects for executive elem
ency now, know ye' thai | r chsrd j. Oxlet
by, governor Of Illinois, by the authorit, 1.
me vested by the constitution Of this state
DO by these presents commute the sentence
OF the said Samuel rieldcn and Mlchac
Scbwab to imqrisoi ment ia the penitentiar,
for life.
In testimony whereof, | hereto set my hsDt
and cause to be afl KID the grea; seal OF tn,
state. Done at the city of Springfield, thi.
tenth day OF November, In the Year of oul
Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty
seven, and Of the Independence of the United
States the one hundred aud twelfth.
(5igned) Il. j. OGLEsBY. Governor.
(Signed) Henry ID DEMHNT, secre,sry Of
atAtn